IMO, Parise will be this generation of Devils fans "Brendan Shanahan". Only there won't be a Scott Stevens coming back.

I started watching the team only about a year or less before he left and therefore my momeories of him are fairly fuzzy. However, was Shanny that beloved and celebrated by the fans as much as Parise is today? In other words, was he viewed upon the same then as we look at Parise now?

"The $297,297 Kovalchuk missed today is money he will never, ever get back. And the more cheques he misses, the better the deal is going to have to be for the players to justify him sitting out. And unlike the owners, the players can direct their leadership to get a deal done regardless of how disadvantageous it is to them."

I started watching the team only about a year or less before he left and therefore my momeories of him are fairly fuzzy. However, was Shanny that beloved and celebrated by the fans as much as Parise is today? In other words, was he viewed upon the same then as we look at Parise now?

It's hard to put an exact feeling on Shanahan in terms of 20 years ago like it is today with Parise. Today, fans can celebrate their love for players in so many more ways. Shanny didn't have things like facebook, social media, message boards, the assorted memorabilia, public autograph signings (well, he did have one i know of. A free signing at a K-Mart in Wayne in October 1987. I was there!). I am willing to venture if Shanahan had what Parise has today at his disposal, he'd hold his own.

I remember well when Shanahan was a rookie and I was an STH during Shanahan's last two years here. I never heard one person have anything negative to say about him and everyone had a bad feeling he was leaving during the summer of 1991. He was a popular player with a personality, talent and he was the power forward the Devils were going to build around. He was just coming into his own as a player when he left. I remember seeing a woman tearing opening night 1991 when the Devils played the Blues with Shanny in St. Louis colors.

Stevens coming back in return as compensation softened the blow at the time somewhat, but Devils fans watched Shanahan blossom as a Blue with two 50 goal seasons before the Devils won their first Cup with Stevens. Overall, the Devils made out in the end quite nicely, but there was a time where it looked and could have turned out differently.

I understand his post about shopping Kovy sounds a bit silly, but it's interesting speculation. Look how we've been doing without him. The Parise/Henrique/Clarkson and Elias/Zubrus/Sykora lines seem to have some chemistry. Where does that leave Kovy? Third line? Third lines are typically defensive in orientation. It's an interesting thought to say the least.

I really hope he doesn't leave, and if he does, I think it will (unfortunately) be a 100% financial decision. I would hate to think that Lou/Vanderbeek saw more value in Kovalchuk than they do in Parise...but I really hope they can afford to get him to stay.

I understand his post about shopping Kovy sounds a bit silly, but it's interesting speculation. Look how we've been doing without him. The Parise/Henrique/Clarkson and Elias/Zubrus/Sykora lines seem to have some chemistry. Where does that leave Kovy? Third line? Third lines are typically defensive in orientation. It's an interesting thought to say the least.

It's only been a couple games though, way too early to come to the conclusion that we are better without him.

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"Swim against the tide, don't follow the group, stay away from the majority, seek out the fresh and new, stay away from the poseurs, and don't be a barnacle. Be original, be different, be passionate, be selfless and be free. Be a hockey fan."
--John Buccigross

It's hard to put an exact feeling on Shanahan in terms of 20 years ago like it is today with Parise. Today, fans can celebrate their love for players in so many more ways. Shanny didn't have things like facebook, social media, message boards, the assorted memorabilia, public autograph signings (well, he did have one i know of. A free signing at a K-Mart in Wayne in October 1987. I was there!). I am willing to venture if Shanahan had what Parise has today at his disposal, he'd hold his own.

I remember well when Shanahan was a rookie and I was an STH during Shanahan's last two years here. I never heard one person have anything negative to say about him and everyone had a bad feeling he was leaving during the summer of 1991. He was a popular player with a personality, talent and he was the power forward the Devils were going to build around. He was just coming into his own as a player when he left. I remember seeing a woman tearing opening night 1991 when the Devils played the Blues with Shanny in St. Louis colors.

Stevens coming back in return as compensation softened the blow at the time somewhat, but Devils fans watched Shanahan blossom as a Blue with two 50 goal seasons before the Devils won their first Cup with Stevens. Overall, the Devils made out in the end quite nicely, but there was a time where it looked and could have turned out differently.

I just hope we can maybe make a trade if all seems loss and get at least something back.